Porch Pals



Isn't this guy tall and healthy?



Trash can for 3, please, near the door!

 There are LOTS of advantages to living in the country like we do - I love it!  One of the disadvantages is not having company, so we take it where we can get it.  We regularly have 3 little friends come to our house, but not to see us; it's to eat!  We keep our dog food secured (or so we thought!) in a large garbage can with a bungee cord over the top right outside the front door on the porch.  Our visitors are very persistent when hungry and make lots of noise!  But our lazy dogs are so used to the visits, they don't even wake up.  See proof in the pics...

Father's Day vol. 2

I am so very thankful that God brought Paul Cardwell into my life to be my husband and the father of my son!  This is in his honor - a tribute to him from me.  Paul, I love you - Happy Father's Day!

The Strength of a Man ©

The strength of a man is not his hands though they may provide his living:
Tender instruments of love through a hug or caress,
Tough from endless hours of pitching.
The strength of a man is not his back though it bears heavy loads:
The weight of his son while wrestling with dad
Or his bride while crossing their threshold.
The strength of a man is not his legs though they carry him down life's roads:
Ever ready to serve the needs of a friend,
Marking trails for his namesake to follow.
The strength of a man is not his mind though his decisions can be life changing:
An eternal choice for Christ, his mate throughout life,
Transferring values with results far-ranging.
The strength of a man is in his heart:
Committed, strong, and true.
Following dreams, realizing goals
Building a future as God leads us through you.

Father's Day 1999

Father's Day

I am blessed to have my earthly father still on earth.  I love having him living so close to me after he traveled so much for so long.  I can be with him in less than 2 hours!  This is a poem I wrote for him several years ago - Daddy, I love you - more now than ever!  And I'm glad you're taking care of yourself cause I need you still!  Happy Father's Day!

The Bond of Love (for Daddy)

The bond of love between a dad and daughter
Is a precious circle of care.
Born of love, nurtured through time,
Bathed in constant prayer.

We find our places together through life
And the need for each other remains.
Through constant change our hearts beat strong.
The connection stays the same.

I look up to you now as I always have.
Is there anything you can't fix?
Time after time I've run to your arms
As to a home made of mortar and bricks.

Yes, the bond of love between us
Is a precious circle of care.
Born of love, nurtured through time,
Bathed in constant prayer.


© Linda Cardwell
March 3, 1999

A Godly Giant

 Albert Walter Dorminy, 1905-1984

My grandaddy and me, 1957


I was inspired to write about my grandaddy, Albert Walter Dorminy, after this past weekend's visit with my daddy in Fitzgerald.  And the timing's right, since it's almost Father's Day, so here goes a tribute to my grandaddy, a Godly giant. 

Albert was married to Ada and they had 3 children: Carolyn (the youngest and only girl), Alvie, and Gene (the oldest, my dad).  Alvie had 2 children (Mark and Lisa) and so did my daddy: me and my brother, Gary.  So there were 4 grandchildren for them.  I was the oldest.



Ada and Albert Dorminy



He was always bigger than life to me - he was a big man, especially paired with my petite little Granny (a very Godly woman in her own right!).  He was a farmer and worked hard, all the time.  He also worked at the town's icehouse in the evenings back in the day, and drove a school bus.  I loved coming to visit him.  My brother and I came mostly a couple of weeks in the summer and a week or so at Christmas, occasionally during our spring break.  Our spring break in Alabama was not the same as the break in Georgia, so when we came and school was in I got to ride the school bus he drove and visit with the "big kids" he picked up on his route.  I've been told that he took me on the bus even when I was very little.  Then when it was parked in the yard it was a great play area - I can conjure up the heat and special smell even now!  I remember when he had cows, going with him to feed them - yep, the feed smell is there now.  I went to a tobacco auction with him one time - I can smell the tobacco now too.  I loved riding on the giant fender of his tractor with him or going in his truck to town - once a week!  He loved dessert, too - when he leaned over to me and said, "Let's have some cream" I knew that meant the churn was coming out and we were gonna have homemade ice cream!  I can remember sitting on it while it was churning and yes, I smell the motor and the rock salt!  A big part of his life was the spiritual aspect.  He was a church-going man and that meant we all went when we visited.  I remember going with them to Old Prospect Baptist Church, further down the dirt road they lived on.  Small congregation, but I remember the laughing, singing, preaching - worshipping!  His Bible was prominent in their house and well-used - no dust gathered there!

I learned some things this weekend that prompted me to write.  Here I'll relate a couple of stories about my Godly giant grandaddy.



Once when my daddy was still in school the family visited relatives and Grandaddy looked up toward the direction of their house and remarked they needed to go, their house was burning again!  Sure enough it was burning and Grandaddy announced, "God's trying to get my attention.  We're not doing some things right and that's changing right now.  We'll be regular in church for one thing."  So from then on, evidently every time the doors were open, there were the Dorminys. 

Daddy also remembered to me that they would bring the preacher home for lunch after Sunday services and Grandaddy would add to the collection for the preacher's salary if he thought it wasn't enough.  I doubt the church ever knew that. 

A friend of daddy's came to him at church with a story to relate.  He told of an acquaintance of his who was a trucker and told this man of growing up in a very poor family in Fitzgerald and riding to school on a bus driven by a man named Dorminy.  This bus driver, every Christmas, brought candy to the families of the children on his bus as gifts.  Trucker related how some years this was all they got and he remembered the kindness of Mr. Dorminy and how fond he was of him. 

Of course he was talking about my grandaddy - only the prompting of the Holy Spirit leads a poor farmer with a family to share with other families.  My daddy didn't know of this practice before hearing about it recently and even repeating it brought tears to his eyes; then him telling me made us both cry. 



I remember later when Grandaddy was so sick and in the hospital.  I was visiting and so was my cousin, Lisa.  Daddy was there and remarked to him that he had both his granddaughters there, what would he want to tell them?  One word he spoke to us - Jesus.  I told him then that he would surely live with Jesus because he loved Him so.  A Godly giant, yes.  Follower of Jesus, yes.  Always serving and loving and leaving a legacy for his family and neighbors to see.  Thank you, Grandaddy!  I'll see you when I get to Heaven!



Another Music Message

The other day I got another message through a song on EnLighten radio station.  It took me awhile to google the lyrics because I don't think I heard all the song at the time.  But the phrase that was the title, "The rock's between the hard place and you" spoke to me and I've remembered it for awhile.  I once heard a pastor say that God never intended us to be "under the circumstances" and I believe He also never means for us to be "between a rock and a hard place."  I'm glad Jesus takes my place there too!  There are lots of references to Jesus being "the rock" in scripture, song, etc, but I think this is my favorite:

THE ROCK’S BETWEEN THE HARD PLACE AND YOU

Diane Wilkinson / performed by The Kingdom Heirs

There on the bed of affliction
Asking God for a miracle
You heard your trusted physician
Say, “You’d better get ready for the funeral”
Then you felt the touch of a Healing Hand
From the God Who can resurrect a lifeless man
Let me tell you what you already knew
The Rock’s between the hard place and you

One day you know you’re gonna surely be
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
If you didn’t have the Lord you wouldn’t know what to do
But there in the middle of the darkest night
You see God move, and everything’s all right
Cause the Rock’s between the hard place and you

There serving God in the bad times
Nobody cares if you sink or swim
Faithful in all of the sad times
You’ll always know you can depend on Him
When everyone thought that you would surely fail
God kept blessing and your faith prevailed
Everything He ever promised you is true
The Rock’s between the hard place and you

The lines before the title in all 3 places really struck me too: "Let me tell you what you already knew," "You see God move and everything's all right," and "Everything He ever promised you is true."  If I could just keep in the front of my mind and heart what I already know, I probly wouldn't have to be reminded so regularly.  But, since I'm a slow retainer - thank you, Father, for giving me reminders of just how You are there for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHarojHgzqw

Crafting - wood

I love crafting - just about all kinds.  I've painted tshirts and sweatshirts (like everyone!) and done a host of other things - some might get their own post.  But just recently I did a repeat craft project - I don't do that very often because I don't want to give someone something I've done before, lest they think I don't think enough of them to make something original.  Plus, I'm getting old and I forget what I've done when and for who!  This wooden block project is something Paul and I did for our friends having children WAY back in the day when Alan was little.  Now our friends are having grandchildren and some of Alan's friends are having children so this one came out of retirement.  We use a plaque that Paul fashions in his shop and alphabet blocks - most are ones Alan had and played with, and I've added to the collection as well.  Then pegs for hanging stuff.  I love this, mostly because Paul and I make it together.  An oldie but goodie!  Anybody who wants one, help me find the blocks~

House of Fur

Alan and "Samuel" Spring 1990

It's official!  I live in a house of fur.  No, not the kind with luxurious fur of all colors and lengths - wait a minute, as a matter of fact, there are all colors, lengths and they are luxurious feeling! 

Alan and Butterscotch - Alan wanted him
so badly to ride with him!  Had to keep
a hand on him to keep him in.

Paul and I both grew up with dogs - I had Princess (toy pekignese) and he had Gigi.  When we got married we had a black cat (Kitty - I know, how original!) and then picked up a stray that wandered the Mercer campus (Nikki, a mix).  Kitty wandered away and Nikki took up with someone else on campus.  Alan's grandma gave him a cocker spaniel the Christmas he was 2, named Butterscotch.  Butterscotch was taken out of our yard one day and we never really knew where he was or what happened.  We got a golden retriever - the first of many - named Penny; what a wonderful dog she was!  Cochise belonged to above mentioned grandma and came to live with us too.  Alan was surrounded by human and animal love!  He even had 2 rabbits for a while: Hoppy and Samuel.  We rescued a border collie mix, Oreo, and found a tiny puppy, Bubba, abandoned at our local dump site.  They all lived with us for a time.  Penny, Cochise, Oreo, and Bubba are in Heaven waiting on us to join them.  We've laughed and cried with and for our dogs over the years.  Then came the twins: golden retriever puppies Dixie and Maggie and they have grown up with us - they're 9 years old now.  We still have Dixie, and Alan and his bride have Maggie with them (and they've added a male golden, Ruger).  When Alan went to college I got a little lap dog, Cookie.  She's a pomerschnoodle (dad was a pomeranian, mother was mini schnauzer/poodle) and is 7 years old.  Last month we fostered, with the hopes of permanently adding, 2 small white abandoned puppies of unknown mixed breed: Rhett and Scarlett.  They lit up our house for a couple of weeks, but ultimately could not stay.  Whew!  That brings the current count to 2 at our house: Dixie and Cookie, and 2 at Alan and Ashley's house: Maggie and Ruger.  Bring on the fur, cause with it comes unconditional love!



Cookie, Dixie, Maggie and Ruger.  As usual,
Her Highness Cookie is holding court and
Ruger is looking for something to get in to.



We're currently doggy-sitting Maggie and Ruger so our house is full of fur right now!  Guess we have to prove ourselves worthy with grand-dogs first!